St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1887-05-21
ROAD IMPROVEMENTS.

ROAD IMPROVEMENTS.
me Necessity of Awakeni.g . Geaera
rrade In Good Country Highway.
Many communities are not alive d
the economy OF good roads, but gener
ally the trouble lies in bad methods q
making and repairing. Often wher.
the highways are well-nigh impassabl,
except in the dry season, enough is ex
pended to keep them in fairly good
condition. Long years Of vexatiou.
experience has shown the disadvantag.
OF the system Of having each mar
''work OUT his poll-tax on the highway
Men who work we'll for themselves OF
for an individual neighbor. shirk
shamefully when working for the pub
Iic-thcmselvcs and neighbors collec.
lively. Of the laborers put upon the
roads Il considerable number expend
most thought and effort i'm killing time.
| have noticed that the men who never
clean shovel when they use it at home
clean it after every five minutes Of use
on the highway; and this cleaning re.
quircs ten minutes-five for the manu-.
facture of a paddle and five for its use.
The average days work on the high
way is in quantity not more than half
what it is on the farm; and in quality il
is equally inferior.
The overseer must often 60 counter
To the wishes Of his neighbors. The dis
agreeable duty and small pay of the
position make it so undesirable that it is
not accepted by the most prosperous
men. but usually by men Of so little
Judgment that they find it more desira-
bile To attend to the affairs IF the public
than to their own. These men. lacking
judgment, have the work misapplied.
especially as they (vestcd with little
brief authority are not disposed to
listen to the suggestions of Others.
have for example known such man to
order the middle Of long line of solid
road plOwed up. laborious task. and
one which rendered the road well-nigh
impossible for almost year. Again
most Of the work is done in early spring
the season convenient for the farmers,
hut the worst of all for the roads. ANY
small washout or break in the road in
summer. which a little prompt work
would correct. is neglected and allowed
to grow because every body is busy on
nc farm. AMI after animals and vehicles
nave been injured by it for months. it
IS repaired at considerable expense. it
having steadily grown. The labor
should he distributed throughout the
year as it Is needed on the road. not rs
it suits the farmers convenience.
A public spirit, q general pride in
good roads rust be awakened. With
nut this they will prove unavailing. for
they will not he fully employed. Some
men there are in each community i'm
bued with the spirit Of progress. and
with that pride which demands that
their own belongings and those around
hem he rs good as means allow. But
most Of us must be moved by pocket
|ook considerations; and fortunately
fo,, the advocates of good roads. few
,ther things are more profitable.
Vehicles last three times rs long on
good roads. rs on bad ones; the draw
M capacity Of the team is four times
rs great: land is increased in value by
in the highways. know
# more than one neighbOrhood in
which the price of the land was in
twenty per cent. when the dirt
'oads were transformed into well
.raveled ones. In some localities the
Increase in price Of land would not lie
!" great. but always il is considerable.
N many eases it equals the cost Of the /
Of the highways. The
ccond step is to make radical change
n the system Of road repairing. We
must collect the tax in money and hire
ncn Ia do the work.
Competent Overscers are secured in
titles. for they are made the contractors.
md payment for the work is conditional
lpon its being good. The laborers arc
L hand whenever needed and all de-
Gets are corrected at once. This is q |
cry important point In the country
ONE modification If this plan will he
but it will soon he arrived at.
Zach job can be let to the lowest re-
pon>ible bidder. the specifications al- |
Ways being full and carefully drawn;
II the work Of keeping the roads Of tho |
ownshiP in order may be let in lump.
his last would contain an element II |
whereby the public might
rofit; but consider the first plan the
etter. 1t is the plan adopted in the
pwnship where live and it has worked |
cry satisfactorily for years. Lctpublic
pirit and pride be aroused. the road
* collected in money and competent
ZEN be hired. by bidding. to do tho
-ork. payment always being condi-
oned on faithful performance. and
lille the cost will not be increased the
encfit will be trebled. Such questions
5 relate to the best materials to 10
sed. to undertaking and grading,
i'll he best settled by each township
II itself. for what would be advisable
one locality would not he i'm another.
John N. Stab, in N. y Tribune.
Hard on the Teacher.
One day recently the following anus
C incident nxs.urcd in one of our Ills. |